Hip Hop Is Dead
3546963
225901855
2008-07-15T22:55:38Z
Dillon90
7216073
{{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
|Name = Hip Hop Is Dead
|Type = studio
|Artist = [[Nas]]
|Cover = Hiphopisdead1.jpg
|Released = [[December 15]] [[2006]]<br/><small>(see [[#Release history|release history]])</small>
|Recorded = [[2006]]
|Genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
|Length = 60:24
|Label = [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]/[[The Jones Experience]]
|Producer = [[will.i.am]], [[Salaam Remi]], [[L.E.S. (producer)|L.E.S.]], [[Wyldfyer]], [[Kanye West]], [[Dr. Dre]], [[Scott Storch]], [[Mark Batson]], [[Stargate (production team)|Stargate]], [[Chris Webber]], [[Devo Springsteen]]
|Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{rating-5|3.5}} [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:jq8zefbkbgf8 2006]
*''[[The A.V. Club]]'' (A-) [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/57363 2007]
*''[[The Guardian]]'' {{rating-5|4}} [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1982578,00.html 2007]
*''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' (A-) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1567755,00.html 2006]
*[[Pitchfork Media]] [7.8/10] [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/40189/Nas_Hip_Hop_Is_Dead 2006]
*[[PopMatters]] {{rating-10|8}} [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/9213/nas-hip-hop-is-dead/ 2006]
*Rap Reviews {{rating-10|10}} [http://rapreviews.com/archive/2006_12F_hiphopisdead.html 2006]
*{{Review-Christgau|A-|name=Nas}}
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' {{rating-5|4}} [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/12750153/review/13121095/hip_hop_is_dead 2006]
*''[[The Village Voice|Village Voice]]'' (favorable) [http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0651,spies,75322,22.html 2006]
*''[[XXL (magazine)|XXL]]'' (XL) [http://xxlmag.com/online/?p=7293 2006]
|Last album = ''[[Street's Disciple]]''<br/>(2004)
|This album = '''''Hip Hop Is Dead'''''<br/>(2006)
|Next album = ''[[Untitled (Nas album)|Untitled]]'' <br/>(2008)
|Misc = {{Singles
|Name = Hip Hop Is Dead
|Type = studio
|single 1 = [[Hip Hop Is Dead (song)|Hip Hop Is Dead]]
|single 1 date = November 2006
|single 2 = [[Can't Forget About You]]
|single 2 date = [[January 23]] [[2007]]
}}}}
{{for|the song from this album|Hip Hop Is Dead (song)}}
'''''Hip Hop Is Dead''''' is a [[2006 in music|2006 album]] by [[United States|American]] [[hip hop music|hip-hop]] artist [[Nas]] that was released on [[December 19]], [[2006]]. The [[gramophone record|LP]] is Nas' eighth album of all-original material, and his first album for [[Def Jam Recordings]]. Nas' previous label, [[Columbia Records]], co-financed the album with Def Jam (which was once distributed by Columbia). It was Nas' third album to debut at #1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], selling 355,880 copies in its first week.<ref name=bbdebut>Hasty, Katie. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003525355 Nas Scores Third No. 1 Album With 'Hip-Hop Is Dead'] ''[[Billboard]]''. [[December 27]] [[2006]].</ref> The album was nominated for [[Best Rap Album]] for the [[50th Grammy Awards]].
==Title==
Nas announced the albums title after a performance on May 18, 2006 <ref>Bolden Janeé [http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/9018 Nas Drops New LP In September, Declares Hip-Hop Dead] Sohh.com. Retrieved on [[June 19]] [[2006]].</ref><ref name="rolling stone">[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10357006/latest_news_bmariahb_bbilly_corganb_bwutangb_and_more Latest News: Mariah, Billy Corgan, Wu-Tang and More] ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Retrieved on [[July 30]] [[2006]]</ref> In a late September interview on English DJ [[Tim Westwood]]'s Radio show, Nas said, "Hip-hop is dead because we as artists no longer have the power." He went on to say, "Could you imagine what [[50 Cent]] could be doing, Nas, [[Jay-Z|Jay]], [[Eminem]], if we were the [[Jimmy Iovine]]s. Could you imagine the power we'd have? I think that's where we're headed." He has described the album as a mixture of "street" records, "political" records and collaborations.<ref name="mixtape1006">[http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/100206/ Mixtape Monday: Nas Wants To Join Jay-Z In Africa; Snoop, Dre Reunite]. [[MTV News]]. Retrieved on [[October 9]] [[2006]].</ref> In another interview Nas said,
{{cquote|...basically America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead. Our way of thinking is dead, our commerce is dead. Everything in this society has been done. That's where we are as a country.<ref name=rwd>[http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/fullstory.php?&sid=&id=3155 Nas: Hip Hop Is Dead!!!]. RWDmag.com. Retrieved on [[December 20]] [[2006]].</ref>}}
The title had a major impact in the hip hop world, especially for [[Southern hip hop]], whose artists have been blamed for cheapening the quality of hip-hop with [[crunk]] and [[snap music]]. Southern rapper [[Young Jeezy]] had made statements against the title of Nas' album, and also furthered his comments by questioning Nas' street credibility. They have since reconciled.<ref name=jeezy>Shake. [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.4702/title.young-jeezy-says-nas-has-no-street-credibility Young Jeezy Says Nas Has No Street Credibility]. Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved on [[December 20]] [[2006]].</ref> Many other Southern rappers such as [[Ludacris]], [[Trick Daddy]], and [[Big Boi]] (whose fellow [[Outkast]] member, [[Andre 3000]], declared hip hop was dying shortly after the release of ''[[Speakerboxxx/The Love Below]]'') have also attacked Nas' album title claiming that it is targeted at Southern hip hop.<ref name=mtv>[http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/121806/ Mixtape Monday: Is Hip-Hop Dead? Luda, Big Boi Disagree With Nas]. [[MTV.com]]. Retrieved on [[December 29]], [[2006]]</ref> Nas also has a fair share of supporters such as New York rappers [[KRS-One]], [[DMX (rapper)|DMX]] and [[Ghostface Killah]]. Another rapper who blames hip hop's death on [[Snap music]] is prominent rapper [[Lil Wayne]] who blames its death on the artist's laziness.
==Reviews==
The album was received well by critics, both rap and otherwise. Many critics belonging to many magazines and other popular media of criticism have labeled ''Hip Hop Is Dead'' as one of the best of 2006{{Fact|date=November 2007}}. Nas is hip-hop's "grumpiest man", according to Jody Rosen for ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', and the album "is a lot like Nas himself: impossible not to admire, but hard to love".<ref name=eweekly>Rosen, Jody. [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/music/0,6115,1567755_4_0_,00.html Music Review: Hip Hop Is Dead] ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. [[December 8]] [[2006]].</ref>
==Sales==
Selling 355,880 copies in its first week, ''Hip Hop Is Dead'' joined ''[[It Was Written]]'' ([[1996 in music|1996]]) and ''[[I Am…]]'' ([[1999 in music|1999]]) as another Nas albums to debut at #1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The album sold 758,000 copies in the U.S. as of July 15, 2008.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/bbco/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003827344 Nas Unveils North American Tour Plans]. ''billboard''. Accessed [[July 15]] [[2008]].</ref> Despite debuting at the top of the charts, Hip Hop is Dead is Nas' lowest selling album, and his only studio album to not be certified at least Platinum.
<br clear=all />
==Track listing==
{|class="wikitable"
!#
!Title
!Songwriter(s)
!Producer(s)
!Featured guest(s)
!Sample(s) & Instrumentation(s)
!Length
|-
|1
|"Money Over Bullshit"
|Jones, N. <br> [[L.E.S. (producer)|Lewis, L.]] <br> [[Wyldfyer|Coleman, W.]]
|[[L.E.S. (producer)|L.E.S.]] <br> [[Wyldfyer]]
|
|
*All Instruments: L.E.S. & Wyldfyer
|4:16
|-
|2
|"You Can't Kill Me"
|Nasir Jones <br> Lewis, L. <br> West, A.
|L.E.S. <br> Al West
|
|
*"Sly" by [[Herbie Hancock]] (& Headhunters)
*All Instruments: Al West
|3:14
|-
|3
|"Carry on Tradition"
|Jones, N. <br> [[Scott Storch|Storch, S.]]
|[[Scott Storch]]
|
|
*All Instruments: Scott Storch
|3:49
|-
|4
|"[[Where Are They Now (song)|Where Are They Now]]"
|Jones, N. <br> [[Salaam Remi|Salaam Gibbs]] <br> [[James Brown|Brown, J.]] <br> [[Bobby Byrd|Byrd, B.]] <br> Lehnhoff, R.
|Nas <br> [[Salaam Remi]]
|
|
*"Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by [[James Brown]]
|2:44
|-
|5
|"[[Hip Hop Is Dead (song)|Hip Hop Is Dead]]"
|Jones, N. <br> [[will.i.am|Adams, Jr., W.]] <br> [[Jerry Lordan|Lordan, J.]] <br> [[Doug Ingle|Ingle, D.]]
|[[will.i.am]]
|will.i.am
|
*"[[Apache (instrumental)|Apache]]" by Michael Viner & [[The Incredible Bongo Band]]
*"[[In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida]]" by [[Iron Butterfly]]
*"The Big Beat" as performed by [[Billy Squier]]
*[[Drums]], Drum Programming, [[Farfisa organ|Farfisa Organ]] & [[Keyboards]]: will.i.am
|3:45
|-
|6
|"Who Killed It?"
|Jones, N. <br> Gibbs, S. <br> Adams, W.
|Salaam Remi <br> will.i.am
|
|
*"I Ain't No Joke" by [[Eric B & Rakim]]
*Drums, [[Bass guitar|Bass]] & Keys: Salaam Remi
*[[Flute]], [[Soprano Saxophone]] & [[Clarinet]]: Vincent Henry
*[[Bass Trumpet]], [[Flugelhorn]] & [[Trumpet]]: Bruce Purse
*[[French Horn]]: W. Marshall Henry
*[[Cello]]: Patrice Jackson
*[[Viola]]: Adam Hill
|3:10
|-
|7
|"Black Republican"
|Jones, N. <br> [[Jay-Z|Carter, S.]] <br> Lewis, L. <br> Coleman, W. <br> [[Carmine Coppola|Coppola, C.]]
|L.E.S. <br> Wyldfyer
|[[Jay-Z]]
|
*"Marcia Religiosa" by City of Prague Philharmonic
|3:45
|-
|8
|"Not Going Back"
|Jones, N. <br> [[Stargate (production team)|Hermansen, T.]] <br> [[Stargate (production team)|Ericksen, M.]] <br> [[Kelis|Rogers-Jones, K.]]
|[[Stargate (production team)|Stargate]]
|[[Kelis]]
|
*"[[Alone (Heart song)| Alone]]" by [[Heart]]
|4:09
|-
|9
|"Still Dreaming"
|Jones, N. <br> West, K. <br> Payne, C. <br> [[Jimmy Webb|Webb, J.]]
|[[Kanye West]]
|Kanye West, [[Chrisette Michele]]
|
*Contains interpolation from the composition "The Interim" by [[Jimmy Webb]]
|3:38
|-
|10
|"Hold Down the Block"
|Jones, N. <br> Batson, M.
|[[Mark Batson]]
|Mark B. Mayfield
|
*Drums, Bass & Keyboards: Mark Batson
*Saxophone: Leroi Moore
|3:58
|-
|11
|"Blunt Ashes"
|Jones, N. <br> [[Chris Webber|Webber III, M.]]
|[[Chris Webber]]
|
|
*All Instruments: Chris Webber
|4:03
|-
|12
|"Let There Be Light"
|Jones, N. <br> West, K. <br> Williams, T. <br> [[Devo Springsteen|Harris, D.]] <br> Cho, P.
|Kanye West <br> [[Devo Springsteen]] (additional production)
|[[Tre Williams]]
|
*Drums: Mark Biondi
*Keyboards: Paul Cho
|4:28
|-
|13
|"Play on Playa"
|Jones, N. <br> Storch, S. <br> [[Snoop Dogg|Broadus, Jr., C.]] <br> [[Marvin Gaye|Gaye, M.]] <br> Ware, L. <br> Ross, A.
|Scott Storch
|[[Snoop Dogg]]
|
*"After the Dance" by [[Marvin Gaye]]
|3:33
|-
|14
|"[[Can't Forget about You]]"
|Jones, N. <br> Adams, W. <br> Payne, C. [[Irving Gordon|Gordon, I.]]
|will.i.am
|Chrisette Michele
|
*"[[Unforgettable (song)|Unforgettable]]" by [[Nat King Cole]]
*[[Drums]], Drum Programming & [[Keyboards]]: will.i.am
|4:34
|-
|15
|"[[Hustlers (song)|Hustlers]]"
|Jones, N. <br> [[The Game (rapper)|Taylor, J.]] <br> [[Marsha Ambrosius|Ambrosius, M.]] <br> [[Dr. Dre|Young, A.]] <br> [[Mike Elizondo|Elizondo, M.]]
|[[Dr. Dre]]
|[[The Game (rapper)|The Game]], [[Marsha Ambrosius]]
|
*Keyboards: Mike Elizondo
*Keyboard Bass: Liomnel "LJ" Holoman
|4:06
|-
|16
|"Hope"
|Jones, N. <br> Lewis, L.
|Nas <br> L.E.S. <br> Alexander "Spanador" Mosely (additional production)
|Chrisette Michele
|
|3:05
|-
|*
|"Shine On" <small><br/>(iTunes [[pre-order]] [[bonus track]])</small>
|Jones, N. <br> Gibbs, S.
|Salaam Remi
|
|
|2:35
|-
|*
|"The N (Don't Hate Me Now)" <small><br/>([[United Kingdom]] bonus track)</small>
|Jones, N. <br> Gibbs, S.
|Salaam Remi
|
|
|2:48
|-
|*
|"Where Y'all At" <small><br/>([[Best Buy]] bonus track)</small>
|Jones, N. <br> Gibbs, S.
|Salaam Remi
|
|
*"[[Made You Look]]" by Nas
*"Rainy Day In Centreville" by Minnie Riperton
|4:09
|-
|}
An [[asterisk]] (*) indicates a bonus track.
==Album singles==
The title track "[[Hip Hop Is Dead (song)|Hip Hop Is Dead]]" (produced by [[will.i.am]]), which contains samples from "[[In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida]]" by [[Iron Butterfly]], and "[[Apache (instrumental)|Apache]]" by [[Incredible Bongo Band]], and [[Billy Squier]]'s "The Big Beat". It is the first single of the album. It received airplay on radio stations in [[Australia]] ([[Triple J]]), the [[UK]], and in [[United States]], notably on [[WQHT-FM|Hot 97]]. <ref name="sohh">Bolden, Janeé. [http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/9018 Nas Drops New LP In September, Declares Hip-Hop Dead]. Sohh.com. Retrieved on [[July 19]] [[2006]].</ref><ref name="rolling stone">[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10357006/latest_news_bmariahb_bbilly_corganb_bwutangb_and_more Latest News: Mariah, Billy Corgan, Wu-Tang and More]. [[Rolling Stone]]. Retrieved on [[July 30]], [[2006]].</ref>
It recently reached #48 on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks]] chart<ref name=billboard48>[http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?f=Hot+R%26B%2FHip-Hop+Songs&pageNumber=Top+11-50&g=Singles Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs] [[Billboard]]. Retrieved on [[December 6]] [[2006]].</ref> and #41 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]]. The second single from the album Hip Hop Is Dead is "[[Can't Forget About You]]" (Featuring [[Chrisette Michele]]). It contains a sample from [[Nat King Cole]]'s "[[Unforgettable (song)|Unforgettable]]".
{|class="wikitable"
! Single information
|-
|"'''[[Hip Hop Is Dead (song)|Hip Hop Is Dead]]'''"
*Released: November 2006
|-
|"'''[[Can't Forget About You]]'''"
*Released: January 2007
*B-side: "Hustlers"
|}
== Album chart positions==
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart (2007)
!align="center"|Peak<br/>position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. [[Billboard 200]]
|align="center"|1
|-
!align="left"|Chart (2006)
!align="center"|Peak<br/>position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|United World Chart
|align="center"|1
|-
|}
==Singles Chart Positions==
{| class="wikitable"
|rowspan="2"| '''Year'''
|rowspan="2"| '''Song'''
|colspan="4"| '''Chart positions'''
|-
| '''[[Billboard Hot 100]]'''
| '''[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks]]'''
| '''[[Hot Rap Singles]]'''
|-
| 2006
| "Hip Hop Is Dead"
| '''#41'''
| '''#48'''
| '''#25'''
|-
| 2007
| "Black Republican"
| '''#124'''
| '''#102'''
| '''-'''
|-
| 2007
| "Cant Forget About You"
| '''-'''
| '''#46'''
| '''#6'''
|-
|}
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Region
!Date
|-
|[[Ireland]]
|[[December 15]], [[2006]]
|-
|[[United Kingdom]]
|[[December 18]], [[2006]]
|-
|[[United States]]
|[[December 19]], [[2006]]
|}
==Personnel==
*Executive producer: Nasir Jones
*A&R: Jay Brown
*A&R for Ill Will Music Group: Mike Brinkley
*A&R Administration: Terese Joseph
*A&R Coordination: Fabienne Leys
*Marketing: Tracey Waples
*Marketing coordination: Shari Bryant
*Management: Michael "Blue" Williams for Family Tree Entertainment
*Mastering: Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, NYC
*Photography: Afshin Shahidi
*Creative direction: Andy West
*Cover design: Tavon Sampson
*Wardrobe: Mike Bogard for The B Lynn Group
*Photo and art coordination: Nichell Delavaille
*Package production: Doug Joswick
*Legal representation: Kenny Meiselas, Esq. and Paul Rothenberg, Esq.
*Sample clearance agent: Deborah Mannis-Gardner for DMG Clearances, Inc.
*Business Affairs: Michael Seltzer, Antoinette Trotman, Ian Allen
==Unreleased or unused songs==
The following songs failed to make the final track listing, either to time constraints or [[Sampling (music)|sample clearances]]. Prior to the release of this album, many of the listed songs could be found on various [[mixtapes]] and receiving some amounts of radio airplay especially in New York, namely [[Hot 97]] and [[WWPR-FM|Power 105]]. "Where Y'all At", was leaked and released to radio during the early parts in the Summer of 2006 only to create a buzz and serve as a street single for ''Hip Hop Is Dead''. It has since been released as the B-Side for the single "Hip Hop Is Dead". "The N" is another record that was leaked strictly for promotional purposes and not intended for the final release.
*"Hope (Original Version)" <small>(Produced by [[Wyldfyer]])</small>
*"Life's Gone Low"
*"I Already Know" <small>(Produced by [[Tim & Bob]])</small>
*"New York Stomp" <small>(Produced by [[Just Blaze]])</small><ref>http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/100206/</ref>
*"White Man's Paper" <small>'''(featuring [[Damian Marley]])''' (Produced by Afrykan)</small>
*"You Mean the World to Me" <small>(Produced by [[Kanye West]])</small>
*"The Whole World Is Ghetto" <small>(Produced by will.i.am.)</small> (As confirmed by will.i.am in a 2007 issue of [[Scratch (magazine)|Scratch Magazine]])
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.defjam.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=608 Nas] at DefJam
*[http://www.streetsdisciple.com Street's Disciple] at Columbia Records
*[http://www.laweekly.com/music/psychic-hipster/hip-hop-is-dead/15525/ Column about the larger musical/cultural context that informs "Hip-Hop is Dead"]
*[http://rap.about.com/od/songreviews/gr/BlackRepublican.htm About.com Review of "Black Republican"]
*[http://rap.about.com/od/songreviews/gr/NasHipHopIsDead.htm About.com Review of "Hip-Hop Is Dead"]
*[http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/39763 Pitchfork Media Review of "Black Republican"]
{{start box}}
{{succession box
|before = ''[[The Inspiration]]'' by [[Young Jeezy]]
|title = [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] [[Number-one albums of 2007 (U.S.)|number-one album]]
|years = [[January 6]] - [[January 12]], [[2007]]
|after = ''[[21 (Omarion album)|21]]'' by [[Omarion]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{Nas}}
[[Category:2006 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Devo Springsteen]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Dr. Dre]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Kanye West]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Mark Batson]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Salaam Remi]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Scott Storch]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Stargate]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Will.i.am]]
[[Category:Def Jam albums]]
[[Category:Columbia Records albums]]
[[Category:Nas albums]]
[[da:Hip Hop is Dead]]
[[de:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[es:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[fr:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[it:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[pl:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[fi:Hip Hop Is Dead]]
[[sv:Hip Hop Is Dead]]